Nawaz Sharif reaches Dubai ahead of Pakistan return

DUBAI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif on Thursday reached Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), ahead of his much-anticipated return to Pakistan, ARY News reported.

Nawaz, who has been in self-imposed exile since 2019, left for London in the middle of his seven-year jail term on medical grounds. The elder will leave for Pakistan via Dubai on Oct 21.

Nawaz will be meeting a selected group of people during his two-day stay in Dubai.

The former premier will reach Islamabad on Saturday afternoon and will be accompanied by around 150 people on his return to Pakistan in a chartered plane.

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to hire a private jet to bring the party supremo Nawaz Sharif to the country on October 21, citing sources, ARY News reported.

Sources disclosed that the PML-N leaders contacted a private aviation company to hire a private jet for Nawaz Sharif. The political party sought chartered plane service from a private company from Dubai to Islamabad.

Moreover, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has also been contacted to grant permission for the private jet route, sources added.

It was also learnt that PML-N has also acquired a private company’s services to show flower petals at the party’s rally at the Minar-e-Pakistan following the return of Sharif.

It emerged that the Cessna plane would be used for showering flower petals on the PML-N’s rally venue and other parts of the city.

The CAA also issued a notification for using the private jet for showering petals on the city at 3:30 pm.

Nawaz to land freely on 21st

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday granted protective bail to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif in Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases until Oct 24.

The former premier had approached the IHC, seeking court’s restraining order from arrest as he could approach the court.

The IHC announced the verdict yesterday, restraining the authorities from arresting Sharif on his return to the country on Saturday (October 21).

Meanwhile, an accountability court also suspended permanent warrant of former PM Nawaz Sharif in Toshakhana case.

The court on a petition suspended warrant against Nawaz Sharif in Toshakhana reference till October 24. “The warrant will be restored if he fails to appear in court on Oct 24,” the court announced.

Accountability Judge Mohammad Bashir announced reserved verdict.

The NAB prosecutor in the court’s hearing didn’t oppose the petition against arrest warrant of the former prime minister in Toshakhana reference in accountability court conducted by Judge Mohammad Bashir.

Convictions

Nawaz Sharif was convicted by accountability courts in Avenfield and Al-Azizia references.

The accountability court had awarded 10 years jail term with eight million Pounds fine to Nawaz Sharif in Avenfield case and 07 years sentence in Al-Azizia reference.

The court had also disqualified Sharif for holding public office for 10 years.

However, in 2019, his sentence in Al-Azizia reference was suspended by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on medical grounds. He was then permitted to fly to London on medical grounds.